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Home » Cakes » Butterbeer Cake (Harry Potter Cake)

Butterbeer Cake (Harry Potter Cake)

By Olivia, 118 Comments

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Harry Potter fans, this Butterbeer Cake is for you! Butterscotch cake, cream soda, and marshmallow all in one spellbinding dessert. The perfect Harry Potter Cake!

Butterbeer Cake made with butterscotch, cream soda, and marshmallow.

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to do a Harry Potter themed recipe.

I am a huge fan of the books and movies, so the fact that I have a Game of Thrones themed cake and no Harry Potter cake is shameful, really. Alas, that all changes today with this Butterbeer Cake!

Harry Potter Butterbeer Cake with a butterscotch drip.

What is Butterbeer?

I’m going to go ahead and blame the delay on this recipe on the fact that I actually didn’t try Butterbeer until very recently. In fact, I didn’t think I’d like it.

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I don’t like butterscotch, or cream soda, or pop, so I was expecting to hate it through and through for its sickly sweetness. I was only going to try it so I could say I had.

My first introduction to Butterbeer was over the summer while we were in London. I dragged Ryan, his dad, and his stepmom (some more willingly than others) to the Warner Brothers Studios to do the Harry Potter tour.

Ryan and I bought one Butterbeer to share because I swore I would only have one sip of it. Souvenir glass? Pshh, why would I want one??

Needless to say, I finished half the drink before Ryan could even have a sip of it. SO. GOOD.

It doesn’t really taste like butterscotch or cream soda, just of some delicious combination of flavours and heavenly marshmallow creme topping. I didn’t even care that it was carbonated (which I normally don’t like).

Is there alcohol in butterbeer?

Contrary to the name, there is actually no alcohol in Butterbeer at all.

The fizzy beverage is all ages friendly. However, if you’re looking to incorporate a bit of booziness into this Harry Potter Cake, you can always soak the layers in a Butterscotch schnapps simple syrup!

Harry Potter Butterbeer Cake with gold sprinkles.

What are the different kinds of Butterbeer?

As much as I loved the original pop-like version of Butterbeer, I didn’t know there were actually superior versions of this!

Fast forward a few months and we’re in Orlando celebrating my birthday, which includes numerous days at the Disney parks and, of course, Universal to check out the Harry Potter lands, among other things. My friend Eva insisted that I HAD to try the frozen Butterbeer, and that it was better than the original.

Lunch on our first day was at the Leaky Cauldron (for real!!) and that’s where we ordered our frozen Butterbeer.

We had planned to get an original Butterbeer too, but the girl taking our order asked if we wanted to try the warm Butterbeer. She said it was her favourite and they only have it available during the colder months. We did not have high hopes for it but ordered it anyhow.

Both the frozen (like a slush) and the warm were leaps and bounds better than the original. How do you improve on something that’s already so good, right??

I think the warm one was my favourite, actually. Perfectly comforting and delicious. Needless to say, I had Butterbeer Cake running through my mind before we even left the parks.

Close up of Butterbeer Cake.

How to Make this Butterbeer Cake

This butterscotch cake gave me a little bit of trouble in terms of nailing down the perfect texture, flavour, and color.

The first batch was probably the best bake overall, except I could only find hot pink cream soda, so that’s what I used. Unfortunately, this made the layers an ombre kinda pink when I cut into them. The layers also shrank quite a bit post-baking, so I probably overbaked it.

For the second attempt at this Butterbeer Cake, I managed to find clear cream soda, but that same store didn’t have the exact brand of pudding that I used the first time, so I tried the store brand.

The cake baked up with a whole lot of tunnelling through it — either due to the brand of pudding I used or due to improper mixing techniques. Likely the latter. Sigh.

Close up of dollops on this Butterbeer Cake.

Attempt #3 used Jell-O instant pudding, clear cream soda, and proper mixing. Success! The first two batches were happily eaten anyway — naked cake layers and all — and they were delicious.

This Butterbeer Cake, like the drinks, is fairly sweet — but it’s intended to be. I mean, you’re combining cream soda, butterscotch, and marshmallow… it’s kinda hard to tone that down (and why would you want to?).

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, or have one in your life, you’re going to want to add this Harry Potter Cake to your baking list!

Harry Potter Cake. Butterbeer Cake slice.

Tips for this Butterbeer Harry Potter Cake

  • Alternate versions:
    • The recipe as-is will also work in two 8″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe.
    • To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so.
  • Making in advance:
    • The cooled cake layers can be baked ahead of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
    • The frosting can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 1 week for frozen for 3 months. Bring to room temp and rewhip before using.
  • Cake Layers:
    • The color of your cream soda will affect the color of your cake. Try to find clear or brown cream soda.
    • I tried the recipe for this butterscotch cake with a couple of different instant pudding mixes and found the Jell-O one to yield best results. Other brands will work okay, though. I did not use fat-free.
    • I used clear vanilla extract as it has a sweeter, cream-sodaish flavour, but you can use regular vanilla instead. 
  • Assembly:
    • The marshmallow frosting is a bit softer than a typical American buttercream due to the fluff that’s added. If you like, you can use Homemade Marshmallow Fluff instead.
    • Adding butterscotch sauce between the layers is a delicious flavour burst, but it will make your cake more susceptible to sliding around during assembly. You can place 3-4 bamboo skewers into the top of the cake as support. You’ll need to trim the skewers to the proper height of the cake.
    • I used store-bought butterscotch sauce due to laziness, but you could easily make your own. Note that I had to boil the store-bought one for 5mins to reduce it, as it was a bit thin. 
  • Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
  • To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my How to Bake Flat Cake Layers post!
 

A slice of cake sitting on top of a table with books stacked behind.
Print Pin Rate
4.79 from 23 votes

Butterbeer Cake

Harry Potter fans, this Butterbeer Cake is for you! Butterscotch, cream soda, and marshmallow all in one spellbinding dessert. The perfect Harry Potter Cake!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cake
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 790kcal
Author Olivia

Ingredients

Butterbeer Cake:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 tsps baking powder
  • 3.5 oz butterscotch instant pudding mix one package
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups cream soda clear
  • 1 tsp clear vanilla extract *

Marshmallow Frosting:

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 14 oz marshmallow fluff store bought or homemade
  • 1 tsp clear vanilla extract

Assembly:

  • butterscotch sauce **
  • gold sanding sugar
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Butterbeer Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds and line with parchment.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, pudding mix, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins).
  • Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
  • Alternate adding flour mixture and cream soda, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of cream soda). Fully incorporating after each addition.
  • Bake for about 40mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack. Allow to cool completely.

Marshmallow Frosting:

  • Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Beat for 3 mins.
  • Add marshmallow fluff and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy (2-3mins).

Assembly:

  • Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 2/3 cup of frosting and spread evenly. Top with 1-2 Tbsp butterscotch sauce (optional), swirl into frosting. Repeat with remaining layers and apply a thin coat of frosting all over the cake. Chill for 20mins. ***
  • Use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake. Chill for 20mins.
  • Using a teaspoon, drizzle butterscotch sauce along the top edges of the chilled cake, allowing some to drip down. Pipe dollops on the top using an Ateco 867 or Wilton 6B tip. Fill in the top of the cake with more butterscotch sauce and spread evenly. Sprinkle with gold sanding sugar if desired.

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Notes

* Regular vanilla will work ok.
** I boiled mine for about 5mins to reduce it a bit as it was a little on the thin side. You can also use homemade.
*** Adding butterscotch sauce between the layers is a delicious flavour burst, but it will make your cake a little more susceptible to sliding around during assembly. You can place 3-4 bamboo skewers into the top of the cake as support. You'll need to trim the skewers to the proper height of the cake.
Marshmallow buttercream recipe adapted from The Cake Blog.
Calories: 790kcalCarbohydrates: 117gProtein: 4gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 128mgSugar: 89gVitamin A: 1130IUCalcium: 56mgIron: 1.4mg
The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.
Originally published on Dec 16, 2017

Butterbeer Cake collage.

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December 10, 2020

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    Recipe Rating




  1. KRISHA says

    January 21, 2021 at 9:02 PM

    5 stars
    This recipe is so cool& I am gonna make it tomm for my brother’s bday but he’s a vegan so what can I replace Eggs with??

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 22, 2021 at 2:45 PM

      Hi Krisha! I haven’t tried baking it without eggs myself so I would look up egg substitutes in cakes.

      Reply
  2. Tatiana says

    January 6, 2021 at 9:41 AM

    I made the cake last night and it smells delicious!! I’m wondering if your whipped cream frosting would be a good substitution for the marshmallow frosting? I can’t wait to see how it turns out! I’m so happy I found your site thru Not Another Cooking Show! Happy New Year!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 6, 2021 at 11:58 AM

      Hi Tatiana! Love Not Another Cooking Show! Stephen is great. You could definitely use whipped cream instead but you won’t get that delicious marshmallow flavour. Either way though it will still be delicious 🙂

      Reply
  3. KP says

    December 22, 2020 at 2:26 PM

    5 stars
    This might be the best thing I’ve ever baked.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 23, 2020 at 9:05 AM

      So glad you loved it KP!

      Reply
  4. Dean Adams says

    December 11, 2020 at 9:22 AM

    Is the Marshmallow Fluff 14 ounces by weight or volume?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 11, 2020 at 3:24 PM

      Hi Dean! It’s by weight.

      Reply
  5. Nikki says

    December 5, 2020 at 5:52 PM

    4 stars
    The flavor of the cake was great and I love the frosting. I wasn’t convinced I would because I generally don’t care for marshmallows, but it actually tamed down the buttercream a bit. However, my cake came out super greasy. I definitely used the correct amount of butter and I’m not sure what else would’ve caused that.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 7, 2020 at 11:10 AM

      Hi Nikki! Glad you loved the flavour! Super weird about the greasiness. A greasy texture is usually more common with an oil-based cake rather than butter. I’m not sure what would have caused that. Was it super dense or gummy at all?

      Reply
  6. Chantal Garcia says

    December 5, 2020 at 5:49 PM

    How forgiving is this cake if I reduce the sugar. I’m just thinking the added sugar plus the cream soda sugar may be a lot.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 7, 2020 at 11:09 AM

      Hi Chantal! I’ve already reduced the amount of sugar in this recipe from a standard cake (it would normally be 1 1/2 cups). This is a very sweet cake for sure (as is butterbeer in general) but I’m not sure how it would impact the cake to reduce the sugar even further.

      Reply
  7. Ms Kitty says

    November 8, 2020 at 4:58 PM

    Hi! Can you make and freeze this frosting ahead of time, and have it thaw out and work just as well?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 9, 2020 at 9:23 AM

      Hi Ms Kitty! Yes, that should work fine. be sure to bring it to room temperature completely and rewhip before using.

      Reply
  8. Dustin says

    November 5, 2020 at 6:58 PM

    5 stars
    Hello! OMG, this cake is adorable! If I am wanting to just make a butterscotch cake, what can I replace the cream soda for? I really enjoy your blog!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 6, 2020 at 10:47 AM

      Hi Dustin! You can replace the cream soda with milk. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  9. Lydia says

    October 30, 2020 at 9:19 AM

    3 stars
    Although the cake was good and really pretty, it didn’t transport me back to Hogwarts. I’ll go back to my other butterbeer recipes. Sorry, I think this one missed the mark. Thanks for the yummy cake though. My son said it gets an A for being photogenic. 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 30, 2020 at 4:13 PM

      Hi Lydia! Sorry to hear you didn’t love this one. Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  10. Miley says

    October 27, 2020 at 7:31 AM

    5 stars
    OMG! I had this for my birthday, and it was a HUGE hit! More Harry Potter please!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 28, 2020 at 9:27 AM

      Yay! So happy to hear that. Happy belated birthday!

      Reply
  11. Yanez Koenig says

    October 17, 2020 at 3:19 PM

    Would this work as cupcakes? And would the icing pipe okay?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 19, 2020 at 10:37 AM

      Hi Yanez! Yes, it should be fine as cupcakes. Just reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so. The frosting is on the softer side, but I was able to pipe dollops on top of the cake with it.

      Reply
  12. Maiya says

    October 6, 2020 at 11:16 AM

    5 stars
    I made this recipe for my boyfriend’s birthday last week and he said it’s the best cake he’s ever had. I made the cake following the exact recipe, but switched out the marshmallow frosting for regular buttercream. If you’re debating on making this recipe; do it! You won’t be disappointed. I can’t recommend this recipe enough.

    Thank you for helping me make his birthday extra special!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 6, 2020 at 3:54 PM

      Hi Maiya! Thanks so much for the amazing feedback! I’m so glad you both loved it 🙂

      Reply
  13. Teresa says

    September 26, 2020 at 10:59 AM

    5 stars
    Super easy recipe! Oh my gosh thank you thank you for sharing!
    I make this cake on a pop up surprise cake stand for an 11 year old girl who is a major Harry Potter fan.
    My entire family loved the flavors.
    I did use the store brand pudding mix because name brand one was out of stock.
    Your recipe was super easy to follow and turned out perfect.
    Again, thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 28, 2020 at 9:27 AM

      Hi Teresa! Thanks so much for the feedback! I’m so happy you all loved it 🙂

      Reply
  14. Charlotte says

    September 22, 2020 at 5:58 PM

    Hello! I’m planning to make this cake for my sisters birthday on Sunday. How long in advance can the cakes and buttercream be made before assembly? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 23, 2020 at 5:11 PM

      Hi Charlotte! For the Cake: Cool the layers, double wrap in plastic wrap, freeze for up to 3 mos. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
      For the Buttercream: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 1 week for freeze for 3 mos. Bring to room temp and rewhip before using.

      Reply
  15. Cameron says

    August 19, 2020 at 6:01 AM

    A quick question. Does the Cream Soda need to be flat or can it still be fizzy when prepping the batter?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 19, 2020 at 9:38 AM

      Hi Cameron! Mine was fizzy but either way will work 🙂

      Reply
  16. Tracy says

    August 16, 2020 at 8:55 PM

    5 stars
    I made this cake for my daughter’s Sweet 16 birthday. It was absolutely fantastic!! Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I look forward to making more of your recipes.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 17, 2020 at 9:44 AM

      So happy you loved it, Tracy! I can’t wait to hear what else you make 🙂

      Reply
  17. Albert says

    July 22, 2020 at 8:08 AM

    I am looking to bake this cake for my wife’s birthday and was wondering if the baking time is different if I decide to go the 8″ route.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 22, 2020 at 3:48 PM

      Hi Albert! Baking time would be very similar, maybe a bit less as the layers will be slightly thinner.

      Reply
  18. Gina says

    March 21, 2020 at 9:04 AM

    Hi!
    Thanks for this recipe!
    I’m going to try this cake next week for my daughter’s 18th birthday, but in this time of self quarantining and grocery hoarding, I can’t find any instant butterscotch pudding mix, only cook and serve pudding mix. Do you think it would make a difference?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 23, 2020 at 1:41 PM

      Hi Gina! I can’t say for certain, but if that’s all that you have then give it a try 🙂

      Reply
      • Gina says

        March 26, 2020 at 5:06 AM

        Thanks, trying it tomorrow 🤞

        Reply
        • Katie says

          June 30, 2020 at 5:37 PM

          Hi Gina! I ran into the same problem! How did the cook and serve work out for you? I want to make the cake later this week, but it’s all I’ve been able to find.

          Reply
          • Melissa says

            July 19, 2020 at 6:52 PM

            I’m in the same boat. Just saw this recipe and need it for Wednesday. I’ve found either cook and serve or instant sugar free in the grocery store. Would one be better than the other?

          • Olivia says

            July 20, 2020 at 9:38 AM

            Hi Melissa! Instant is ideal but either should work totally fine. The cake is already pretty sweet so I think the sugar free one would be fine!

  19. Megs says

    November 19, 2019 at 2:15 PM

    Have you ever used this to make cupcakes? i have to bring treats to work next week and cupcakes are easier then cake. too thick for cupcakes?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 20, 2019 at 10:51 AM

      Hi Megs! I haven’t myself but I know others have. It will work totally fine, all you need to do is adjust the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so.

      Reply
      • Megs says

        November 22, 2019 at 6:54 AM

        Thanks! I will be making them next week then!!!

        Reply
  20. Carol says

    August 24, 2019 at 10:08 PM

    5 stars
    I just made this cake, and it is delicious! The only changes I made were adding 1/4 cup more cream soda because the batter seemed really thick to me, and I only used 1/3 cup frosting between the layers. It’s a surprise for my cousin, who will get it tomorrow, but I had some scraps from leveling the cakes and I couldn’t wait to try it. The cake would be good by itself, for those who don’t like frosting. The flavor is subtle, but it’s perfect. I absolutely love the frosting! I thought it would be too sweet with the marshmallow fluff, but it wasn’t at all. The consistency was great, not the best for intricate piping, but just fine for spreading and dollops on top. I would recommend following the advice to reduce your butterscotch sauce or buy a thicker brand. I could only find Smuckers in the squeeze bottle, and while it worked, it was messier than I would like and way too sweet.

    Overall, amazing cake! This is definitely a new favorite.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 26, 2019 at 3:11 PM

      Hi Carol! Thanks so much for your great feedback, I’m so glad you loved it! I love the frosting too 🙂

      Reply
  21. Phoebii says

    June 16, 2019 at 11:30 PM

    Hi Liv,

    I would love to try out this cake, but here in Singapore we do not have the Jell-O instant pudding mix. Do you know what can I substitute it with?

    Thank you so much 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 18, 2019 at 1:58 PM

      Hi Phoebii! Hmm, good question. You can leave it out and increase the sugar to 1.5 cups, but it wont have the butterscotch flavour :\ Do you have butterscotch sauce that you can drizzle on the layers?

      Reply
      • Phoebii says

        June 18, 2019 at 7:13 PM

        Hi Liv,

        Thank you for the reply, yes we do have butterscotch sauce here in Singapore. Maybe I will drizzle on the cake layers like what you said. Thank you once again 🙂

        Reply
  22. Linda Chan says

    May 29, 2019 at 10:46 AM

    5 stars
    Hi Liv,

    You did it again ! Thank you for another amazing recipe. I made this for my son’s 20th birthday and everyone loved it 🙂 I can’t decided which cake to make next 😉

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 29, 2019 at 1:26 PM

      Thanks so much Linda! I’m so happy to hear everyone loved it. I can’t wait to see what you make next!

      Reply
  23. Anisha says

    January 15, 2019 at 8:42 AM

    4 stars
    Made this and it was a massive hit. The cake itself is super tasty. However, had lots of trouble with the frosting. It ended up being the consistency of what you get out of like a duncan hines or betty crocker tub of frosting. It was both sticky but also wouldn’t really spread and wanted to clump together. Not fluffy like a regular buttercream. I used it in the layers and then ended up doing a basic vanilla buttercream on the outside because I couldn’t do a crumb coat with the other one to save my life.

    Any ideas what I may have done wrong? I’d like to try my hand at this again just so I can get it right.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 15, 2019 at 1:06 PM

      Hi Anisha! So glad the cake was a hit, but sorry you had troubles with the buttercream! I remember mine being more on the softer side due to the marshmallow fluff, but it was not sticky or anything. Did you make any adjustments to the recipe? What brand of mm fluff did you use?

      Reply
  24. Ani says

    December 25, 2018 at 2:48 PM

    This looks awesome! Can’t wait to try t myself. Question, what did you use for the drip effect on the outside?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 27, 2018 at 12:41 PM

      Hi Ani! I used a teaspoon to do the drip.

      Reply
  25. Lindsey York says

    November 17, 2018 at 8:58 AM

    Hi, I am so excited to try this cake. Did you use Jello instant butterscotch pudding or the cook and serve? Im having some trouble finding jello butterscotch instant pudding mix. Thank you for your help.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 19, 2018 at 5:08 PM

      Hi Lindsey! I used instant. You could give it a try with the cook and serve. I’m not sure how it would affect the texture though.

      Reply
  26. Alaina Infantino says

    October 29, 2018 at 4:47 PM

    Hi—-how many cups of batter does this recipe yield? I would like to turn it into a 2 tier cake—-one 8-inch and one 10-inch cake.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 30, 2018 at 2:50 PM

      HI Alaina! I’ve never measured the cups of batter before. Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html

      Reply
  27. audrei says

    October 25, 2018 at 7:17 AM

    5 stars
    I find instead of strait butterscotch in between the layers i thinned it and turned it into a soak for the cake. so good. you can thin it with the cream soda. it makes for an even more moist cake. you can also do a circle of buttercream and. very thick almost fudge like in consistency butterscotch in yhe center for the inbetween layers. you get the tasty pop of flavor and no slippage of the layers. also if you like whipped topping make a whip cream and add your fluff. this whipped icing isnt as sweet. but just dont add as much fluff or you will have a gloppy mess. tasty cake I could barely keep from eating the batter.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 25, 2018 at 11:15 AM

      Hi Audrei! I love the idea of a butterscotch soak on the cake. I’ll have to try that! So glad you liked the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  28. Mari says

    October 18, 2018 at 2:43 PM

    Hi there! This cake looks amazing. Just curious if cake/frosting will hold in heat or out of refrigerator?
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 19, 2018 at 1:39 PM

      Hi Mari! What kind of heat? It will be ok out at room temperature for a few hours.

      Reply
  29. Sophie Geoghegan says

    September 28, 2018 at 11:41 PM

    I think the metric conversions are wrong. I just made it and it was liquid. The 1 1/4 cups of creaming soda works out to 310 grams. And the recipe says 612gm. When I made it to the recipe it was all liquid. I can’t even remake it because I live in Australia and had to deprive order the pudding mix. It’s in the oven but I’m not holding much hope that it will taste or look very good. 😩

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 1, 2018 at 12:01 PM

      Hi Sophie! Sorry about the mishap! The metric conversions are automatically calculated by a tool and not something I verify. That seems like way too much for the grams so I’ve updated the recipe to reflect what it should be.

      Reply
  30. Laura says

    September 24, 2018 at 4:45 AM

    Thanks for the recipe 🙂 I’m just wondering if I could substitute the pudding mix for vanilla instead? I’m in Australia and the American food import store only has the vanilla available. I’m thinking I could find some butterscotch essence maybe to make up for it.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 27, 2018 at 1:50 PM

      Hi Laura! That should work totally fine. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
      • Laura says

        October 31, 2018 at 5:11 AM

        5 stars
        I used the vanilla and it turned out well! Thanks again 🙂

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          November 1, 2018 at 11:58 AM

          Glad to hear that!!

          Reply
  31. Courtney says

    August 26, 2018 at 11:52 AM

    I’m thinking of making this for my daughter’s 11th birthday! If I make it a day ahead, does it need refrigeration or room temp? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 27, 2018 at 3:31 PM

      Hi Courtney! I always refrigerate my cakes once they’re assembled. I would do that and take it out 2-3 hours before serving.

      Reply
  32. Laura says

    August 22, 2018 at 7:27 AM

    Hi! I’m going to try this cake today! So excited! Does this buttercream still crust up with the marshmallow fluff in it?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 24, 2018 at 5:24 PM

      Hi Laura! Yes, it crusts a bit, but maybe not as much as straight up american buttercream.

      Reply
  33. Ginger says

    August 20, 2018 at 12:12 PM

    This looks like the perfect cake for my Harry Potter loving son’s birthday. We need a cake that will feed a crowd. I see you used three 6″ cake pans. If I double the recipe do you think it would fit in 3 9″ cake pans? Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 20, 2018 at 2:29 PM

      Hi Ginger! Doubled, the recipe will work for three 8″ cake pans. It will work in 9″ but the layers will be thinner.

      Reply
      • Ginger says

        September 11, 2018 at 6:47 PM

        5 stars
        I made the cake Saturday and everyone loved it! Thank you for sharing your recipe. I did double and baked in 9 inch pans. The layers filled my 2 inch tall pans. I made my own Butterscotch sauce. Anyone reading this and planning to make the cake double, you will need skewers to keep the layers from sliding.

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          September 14, 2018 at 2:34 PM

          Thanks for the tip Ginger! So glad everyone loved it 🙂

          Reply
  34. Amy says

    August 14, 2018 at 8:51 PM

    5 stars
    Tried this out to test it for a Harry Potter themed bridal shower, and it is superb. The crumb on the cake is perfection! I may use soda in all my cakes after this.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 20, 2018 at 2:19 PM

      So glad you liked it Amy! I love the crumb on this one too 🙂

      Reply
  35. Angelique says

    July 19, 2018 at 1:01 PM

    The sponge itself was delicious but the marshmallow icing was too sweet. If I make it again I think I will try a different icing. I was also thinking, since my cake layers were sliding as well, that it would work great as a poke cake.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 21, 2018 at 9:11 AM

      Hi Angelique! Glad you liked the cake! The frosting is sweet for sure, but it evokes that sweet butterbeer foam 🙂

      Reply
  36. Keysi says

    May 9, 2018 at 12:17 PM

    Oh! My daughter loves Harry Potter. And she was so excited when I tell her I will make this cake for her! Does the frosting okay with fondant? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 11, 2018 at 3:02 PM

      Hi Keysi! They frosting is a bit softer than a normal American buttercream due to the marshmallow fluff. I haven’t tried it under fondant myself :\ I hope you guys like it!!

      Reply
      • Keysi says

        May 15, 2018 at 3:17 PM

        5 stars
        I made this last week (without the fondant) and my daughter loved it! Well, everyone loved it! I just decreased the amount of sugar I put in the cake and frosting. But your recipe is so good!

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          May 17, 2018 at 3:07 PM

          Thanks so much!! Happy to hear that everyone liked it 😀

          Reply
  37. Amanda says

    May 4, 2018 at 9:26 AM

    Hi. I’m going to trip this recipe this weekend. Do you think I can color this frosting to make a pink cake? I’ve never worked with marshmallow frosting, any recommendations?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 4, 2018 at 3:35 PM

      Hi Amanda! It should be no problem to color, just be sure to use color gels and not liquid food coloring.

      Reply
  38. Kate K. says

    May 1, 2018 at 7:56 PM

    This was so fun to read! I also tried my hand at making a butterbeer cake (albeit much more “rustic” than yours). Yours really turned out so beautiful!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 3, 2018 at 4:53 PM

      Thank you!

      Reply
  39. Hpfanactic says

    April 29, 2018 at 8:34 PM

    wow sounds so yummy. Is the cake sturdy lol I’m just wondering if I can use this I’m making a three tier cake plus sorting hat and wondering if I could use this as a ten round middle tier. Or would it be too moist?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 1, 2018 at 9:42 AM

      Hi there! I find the cake quite sturdy, but have never used it for stacking/carving.

      Reply
  40. Laurie says

    March 8, 2018 at 1:32 PM

    4 stars
    Hi! Being a HP fanatic I had to try this cake. Love, love the marshmallow buttercream! While making the cake I noticed that the instructions say to cream the butter and the sugars. Plural…sugars…so I re-read the instruction a few times, but still only saw the granulated sugar. Is there supposed to be some brown sugar in there or is the plural just a typo? I’m only asking because I wasn’t thrilled with the texture or taste of the cake alone. Love your recipes!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 8, 2018 at 1:44 PM

      Hi Laurie! Good catch, it’s just a typing error. There is only the one sugar 🙂 What didn’t you like about the taste and texture? I’m curious in case it didn’t bake up properly for some reason.

      Reply
      • Laurie says

        March 10, 2018 at 2:29 PM

        The texture was very dense, almost chewy, not a cake-like crumb. The flavor wasn’t as sweet as I expected with the soda and butterscotch pudding additions, I could really taste the baking powder, so I’m not sure what happened. Don’t get me wrong though…it’s being eaten! 😉

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          March 11, 2018 at 3:50 PM

          Weird about the baking powder! What brand of pudding did you use? I wonder if that was a factor. I tried 3 different kinds and one of them (a store brand) baked up a dense and gummy cake.

          Reply
          • Nikki says

            December 5, 2020 at 5:58 PM

            Ah, maybe this was my issue? My cake baked greasy and kind of gummy. The flavor is good, but the texture is not great. I used Jello cook and serve instead of instant because that’s what I could find.

          • Olivia says

            December 7, 2020 at 11:13 AM

            Hi Nikki! I just replied to your other comment but will here as well. I’m not totally sure how the different types of pudding would impact the cake, but that could have been a factor. However, overmixing the cake batter can cause dense and gummy cakes. Is it possible it was overmixed? I only mix until the flour is just incorporated.

  41. Cindy Rodriguez says

    January 4, 2018 at 5:10 PM

    Wow, wow, wow! I am definitely adding this to the ‘to-do’ list, or rather, ‘to-bake’, this year. My little guys are hardcore Harry Potter fans and I know they would love this. Looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 6, 2018 at 11:48 AM

      Thanks so much Cindy!

      Reply
  42. dori says

    December 21, 2017 at 2:29 PM

    what size cake pans did you use?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 22, 2017 at 9:50 AM

      Hi Dori! I used three 6″ but you could also use two 8″.

      Reply
  43. Elizabeth says

    December 21, 2017 at 9:42 AM

    5 stars
    I used a double recipe to make a half sheet that I’m I the process of turning into a “copy” of Golblet of Fire. Seriously, this cake/frosting recipe is spot on when it comes to flavor. I’ll definitely be using it again!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 21, 2017 at 10:13 AM

      Hi Elizabeth! Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you think the flavour is accurate — I thought so too! Please email me a pic of your finished cake!! I would love to see it 🙂

      Reply
  44. Rebecca says

    December 19, 2017 at 2:18 PM

    Yes! I am a Harry Potter fan looking for a cake for a NYE party so this is obviously happening. Did you make your own marshmallow fluff or use store bought? Is the frosting sticky or difficult to spread?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 19, 2017 at 2:37 PM

      Hi Rebecca! I’m so excited that you’re going to try this! I usually make my own marshmallow fluff, but I was lazy and used store-bought this time. The frosting is not sticky since it’s a buttercream with marshmallow fluff added into it, rather than straight up marshmallow fluff, which is crazy sticky. I did find piping of the dollops to be a bit different though due to the consistency — rather than breaking off like buttercream does, the frosting pulled up a bit. I think it worked out though 🙂 Let me know how you like it!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        January 1, 2018 at 4:09 PM

        I made this but in my haste to finish, I didn’t realize I needed to pipe the dollops on top first and then add the sauce. I did the sauce first and two seconds later my pretty piping was sliding down the side of the cake. Yikes! Luckily it was a family party and they don’t care!

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          January 2, 2018 at 10:52 AM

          Doh yeah, I’ve had that happen a couple times before, it’s the worst!! I hope everyone liked the cake 🙂

          Reply
  45. Marie says

    December 19, 2017 at 5:56 AM

    5 stars
    This is so pretty and sounds absolutely delicious

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 19, 2017 at 9:00 AM

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
  46. Monica says

    December 18, 2017 at 8:18 PM

    PC has an amazing clear cream soda I have to share 🙂 Totally important for any butterbeer sorcery.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 19, 2017 at 9:00 AM

      Oh really?? Like Superstore?? You know, I’m not even sure I checked there — hah. Will look next time. Thank you!

      Reply
  47. Meg | Meg is Well says

    December 18, 2017 at 9:40 AM

    5 stars
    Yay! A Harry Potter themed cake, it looks amazing!!! I still haven’t tried butterbeer but my sister just tried it at Universal Studios Hollywood this weekend and I’m pretty jealous.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 18, 2017 at 6:19 PM

      It’s seriously SO good. I didn’t think it would be, but I’m totally hooked on Butterbeer and this cake!

      Reply
  48. Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says

    December 17, 2017 at 11:01 AM

    5 stars
    I love how the caramel drips off the top. It looks super yummy and lucky for me I do like butterscotch!! I hate to admit this but I’ve never read or saw any of the Harry Potter books or movies. I think I should change that, don’t you? Love the cake.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 17, 2017 at 11:19 AM

      Yesss, you need to change that!! They’re perfect for the holiday season too 🙂 Thank you Marisa!

      Reply
  49. Dana DeVolk says

    December 17, 2017 at 10:12 AM

    5 stars
    All I can say is WOW. I need this in my life!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 17, 2017 at 10:25 AM

      Thanks so much Dana! I hope you try it 🙂

      Reply
  50. Hakima says

    December 17, 2017 at 9:40 AM

    I’m a die hard Harry Potter fan. I mean, really….I reference Harry Potter in my every day life, and will argue with anyone who think it’s lame. Ah, the good days of staying up until Midnight to get the latest book, or scrolling through Harry Potter forums, and buying ALL the HP merchandise ever made. My teenage years were filled with Harry Potter. It was legit my life.

    But all that aside, this cake looks epic and I will be making it soon….just because. No occasion. None needed.

    THANK YOU! 😀

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 17, 2017 at 10:25 AM

      Omg I know what you mean! I also waited in line at midnight for the book launches (dragged my then bf, now husband to them) and then didn’t put the book down until it was finished. Lugging the heavy hardcover books onto the train for my commute because I *needed* to read them. The movies were just as exciting. I miss those days!

      I hope you like this cake as much as I did. Please report back!! 🙂

      Reply
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I'm Olivia, a professionally trained pastry chef, recipe developer, and photographer from Vancouver, BC. Creating classic cake recipes with a modern twist.
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